Clothespin or like article



Nov. 9, 1937. H. J. PETERSON. I

CLOTHESPIN OR LIKE ARTICLE Filed May 29, 1936 TNVENTOR. HENRYJ. PETERSEN ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED, STATES :erNr OFFICE Appiication May 29,

6 Claims.

fully grips and holds the clothes on the line against accidental detachment, and has only one spring bow or loop portion.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a spring metal clothespin that does not mar or mark the clothes being held.

A still further'object of this invention is to provide a metal clothespin that has a low center.

of gravity when in use and one that has no tendency to twist or become distorted.

Still further objects of my device is to provide I an all metal clothespin that is sanitary, compact. easily cleaned, substantially unbreakable position.

Still further objects of my invention is to provide a nonporous clothespin or fastener that is easily and quickly put on the clothes and as easily and quickly removed therefrom.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a clothespin or like that is free from slivers, and of exceptional clothes holding characteristics.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated 40 are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a front view of my clothespin in use. Fig. 2 is a side View of my clothespin not in use. Fig. 3 is a front view of my clothespin not in use and more fully illustrates its construction. Fig. 4 is a back view of my clothespin in use. The clothespins now in general use are mainly of two types, i. e., the all wooden ones having a slit for straddling the clothes to be held, and the wooden jaw ones having a closing metal spring. These clothespins are objectionable in that they are porous and unsanitary, hard to clean or keep clean, have splinters and pro-jecand can not be put on the clothes in a wrong 1936, Serial No. 82,465

do not successfully hold the clothes, are top 7 heavy, cumbersome, are not easily operated, and have a tendency to split and/or break.

Referring to the drawing I have used the numeral ill to designate the ordinary clothesline or like. The numeral H designates a cloth or other flexible sheeting folded over the line I0. My clothespin is formed from a single length of spring rod wire as shown in the drawing and may be considered to consist of a spring bowloop 1 portion l2, a finger portion 13 and aU-portion M.

The loop portion I2 is substantially a vertical ring or circle when viewed from the side as shown in Fig. 2, but when viewed from the front or back one can observe that its two bottom ends are spaced apart as shown in Fig. 3. The finger portion I3 is continuation of the inner lower end of the loop ring and extends in a general downward direction therefrom. The U-portion.

I M is a continuation of the other lower end of '1 the loop ring l2 and extends generally, first downwardly in spaced relationship to the finger I3, then horizontally past the longitudinal plane of the finger i3, then upwardly in spaced relationship to and on the other side of the finger l3, and then inwardly and horizontal to slidably engage the loop ring as shown in Fig. 3. The finger E3 is bowed outwardly or humped at its upper end, then has its center portion bowed inwardly, and then has its lower free end bent slightly outwardly and downwardly.

I have used the numeral l5 to designate this outwardly bowed portion of the finger l3. 'In each of the upper end portions of the two side lengths of the U-portion M is also an outwardly bowed or hump portion which I have designated by the numerals l6 and I1; These twobowed portions 16 and I! are located at each side of. the bowed portion l5 and each extends in the opposite direction from the direction of the bowed portion l5, as shown in the drawing. Obviously, when the device is in use the bowed portion 95 of the finger 93 will extend around one side of the clothes engaging the line l and the bowed portions l6 and H ,will extend around the other side. The lower" end portion of the U-portion is bent downwardly and outwardlyas the lower end portion of the finger, but in the opposite direction from that of the lower portion of the finger. This construction facilitates the placement of my device on the clothes on the line by guiding the same between the holding finger and holding U-portion. Also there is no danger of'the lower end of the finger gouging the cloth to be held.

To put my device on, it is usually grasped by the loop portion l2 and merely manually forced downwardly as far as it will go, as shown in Fig. 1. The complementary hump portions l5 and l6|1 will snap into place around the line In over which the clothes have been folded, thereby securely holding the clothes to and on the line, and eliminating any tendency of the clothespin to remove itself from its holding position. Obviously the spring loop I5 will yieldingly hold the finger portion and U-portion toward each other. By having the free upper end of the U-portion bent inwardly to enter and engage the loop portion, any undesirable twisting of the device when in use is eliminated. One reason for this is that both sides of the U-portion are substantially of equal strength and both depending on the loop portion for support and resilient spring action. When the finger portion and U-portion are forced away, from each other, the free end of the U-portion will slidably rideback on the inner side of I the loop portion, thereby eliminating torque while at the same time receiving cooperative support 'and action from the loop portion. From this it will be seen that the finger portion and U-por- 'tion are successfully yieldingly held toward each other by a single loop portion 12. By the line '10 closely approaching the loop portion the device will not be top heavy. 3

To remove my clothespin from use it is merely necessary to manually pull it upwardly and away from contact with the clothes being held. As

strand of spring material, ,loop portion bent in the central portion of it is all metal there will be no wood splinters or like to catchon the clothes or perforations to catch and hold dirt. Dampness will not swell Obviously my clothespins may be Some changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of my improved clothespin or like without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a clothespin constructed of a single a circular upper said strand, a downwardly extending finger portion extending from one end of said loop portion, a U-shaped portion having one of its ends extending downwardly from the other end of said 100p portion, having its two side lengths resting '-in spaced relationship at each side of said finger portion, and its free end bent inwardly to slidably engage solely the inner side of the end portion. or said loop portion that extends into said finger portion.

; '2. In a clothespin constructed of a single strand ;of spring material, a circular upper loop portion bent in the central portion of said strand, a downwardly extending finger portion extending from one end of said loop portion and having an outwardly bowed section, a U-shaped portion having one of its ends extending downwardly from the other end of said loop portion, having its two side lengths resting in spaced relationship at each side of said finger portion, a bowed section in each of its side lengths, and its free end bent inwardly to slidably engage solely the inner side of the end portion of said loop portion that extends into said finger portion.

3. In a clothespin constructed of a single strand of spring material, a circular upper loop portion bent in the central portion of said strand, a downwardly extending finger portion extending from one end of said loop portion, a downwardly and outwardly formed section on the free end of said finger portion, a U-shaped portion having one of its ends extending downwardly from the other end of said loop portion, having its two side lengths resting in spaced relationship at each side of said finger portion, a downwardly and outwardly bowed section on the lower end portions of each of its two side lengths, and its free end bent inwardlyto slidably engage solely the inner side of the endL portion of said loop portion that extends into said finger portion.

l. In a clothespin constructed of a single strand of spring material, a circular upper loop portion bent in the central portion of said strand, a downwardly extending finger portion extending from one end of said loop portion and having an outwardly bowed section, a, U-shaped portion having one of its ends extending downwardly from the other end of said loop portion, having its two side lengths resting in spaced relationship at each side of said finger portion, a bowed section in each of its side lengths, and its free 7 end bentinwardly to slidably engage solely the ing one of its ends extending downwardly fromv the other end of said loop portion, having its two side lengths resting in spaced relationship at each side of said finger portion, a bowed section in each of its side lengths, and its free end bent inwardly to slidably engage solely the inner side of the end' portion of said loop portion that extends into said finger portion; said bowed section in each of the side lengths of said U-shaped portion beingin alignment with each other and in alignment with-thebowed section in said finger portion.

6. In a clothespin constructed of a single strand of spring material, a circular upper loop portion bent in the central portion of said strand, a downwardly extending finger portion extending from one end of said loop portion and having an outwardly bowed section, a U-shaped portion having one of its ends extending downwardly fr the other end'of said loop portion, having itstwo side lengths resting in spaced relationship at each side of said finger portion, a bowed section in each of its side lengths, and its free end portion of said loop portion that-extends into said finger portion; said bowed sections in the side lengths of said U-shaped member and the bowed section in said finger portion being in close proximity to said loop portion.

I HENRY J. PETERSON. 

